A Tale of Two Purposes: Skyward Sword and Skyrim

I’m playing through two game simultaneously right now, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.  First a closer look at what those two titles are about, just so I don’t ramble on and lose those that have no idea what those games are.  

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, I’ll refer to it as Skyrim from here on out, is a fantasy Western RPG.  All that means is that you assume the role of a character and play through the game as that character.(RPG =  Role Playing Game)  This genre was once a very narrow description of games, today, RPG’s cannot be defined in a thousand words because of their variety and evolution.  So I’ll just say that Skyrim is a game where anything within the game’s universe is possible.  

It is set in a world of knights, kings, assassination, magic, demons, dragons, elves, orcs and anything else Tolkien has ever written about.  It isn’t based off of Tolkien by any means, but is certainly derived from the basis of fantasy that he set years ago.  You enter the world as a supposed criminal crossing the border into the land of Skyrim.

The game is a sequel(the fifth in a line of games) that explore this world and lore created years ago.  The way you play is completely up to you.  You can be a sneak-thief, you can be a mage, you can be a knight, you can be a conjurer that raises the dead to your defense, you can be a blacksmith, you can be an assassin: literally anything you want to, as long as it fits into the universe at hand, you can do.  You don’t even have to play the story, the world itself is filled with content outside of the story that actually drives the game.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, which I’ll refer to as Skyward Sword, is also a fantasy RPG, but it is pretty obviously eastern.(you’d have to see the game to understand, but just accept that if you were to play it, you would see imagery and lines of dialogue that make no sense to a western population, but within the eastern canon, make perfect sense i.e. cats with giant ears that fly)

Skyward Sword lacks everything open and free that Skyrim embraces.  There are a few side stories, but they are all fluff to the main event.  Within Skyward Sword, you will play as Link and Link will be the same person no matter who plays him.  He has a destiny and must complete his destiny to save the world and, in this case, his girl, Zelda.  Instead of a fully realized world with options and choices, it is much more linear, more like reading a book.

These two games represent a very interesting crux in the world of gaming right now.  They are both single player games(as opposed to multiplayer games where you play with other people) and they are both RPG’s, but they are as different as Pac-Man and Street Fighter.  The crux is this: are games better when they allow for choice and freedom or are they better when they tell a linear story and limit the freedom of the player.  Most people I know, or more specifically, most of the people I talk to about games, prefer the freedom of Skyrim.  

I’ve put about 20 hours into Skyrim and I’ve spent, literally, as little time as possible on the story, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.  I’ve killed dragons, forged armor or all kinds of types and styles, I’ve destroyed necromancer dungeons that were threatening small towns, but I have no idea what is happening in the story, meaning, there is little to no weight on the quests I’m involved in.  Bad things happen when I fail, but the world moves on.  

There is weight in the story.  On the other hand, in Skyward Sword, I’ve played through just over half of the story and have enjoyed every minute of it.  Each part of the world is filled with puzzles and tasks for me to overcome in order to find my childhood friend and love of my life, Zelda.  She was kidnapped and I have to find her.  There are temples where I find tools to help me in my quest and Zelda is persistently kept out of reach as I move forward.  The character of Link has shifted.  I once was looked down upon as just a boy, but now, I’ve proved myself as the hero, chosen by the gods and I am on a mission.  There is a strong cinematic story that arcs through this game.

The most interesting thing that I find between these two experiences is that I kind of wish they were combined:  Skyward Sword employs awesome motion controls that mimic my sword strikes exactly, the combat and story are some of the best I’ve ever experienced in game, but the world is narrow and limited when I compare it to Skyrim.  Skyrim is wonderfully realized a world.  You can literally get lost in this sixteen digital square miles and just live as a hunter-scavenger in the woods and mountains, but the story is less compelling and less important because of the huge world it is in.  The button pushing combat is weak when compared to Skyward Sword.

The beauty is that both are phenomenal, but they address different drives within my mind: open freedom vs concise storytelling.

Bastion: Worth Remembering

I recently participated in a public play test for Red Storm Entertainment, an Ubisoft subsidiary.  One of the survey questions was: "What are you 3 favorite games?"  One 19 year old's response tilted my head a little.  He said, "I just put the last three I remembered clearly, because if I remembered them, they must have been good."  This fairly off-hand comment really made me think about the games I play vs. the games I remember.

Bastion highlighted as one of XBox Live's Summer of Arcade releases.  As a third person action/RPG/adventure/brawler, Bastion is a weird egg.  Its art style is perfectly tuned to the game's themes and mood.  Throw in a dynamic narration system with a killer soundtrack and I'm hooked.  The weapon customization, tons of passive abilities to manage, and achievements inside and outside of the game(what? achievements that actually mean something to the gameplay?) are all perks as far as I'm concerned.  Everything about this game oozes of the desire to be remembered.

The story isn't Oscar worthy, but it doesn't need to be.  The narrator tells it like it is, literally.  If you lean on certain weapons, he'll be sure to tell you all about the story behind those weapons.  You stand still for a while, he talks about your pensive mood.  If you want to get deeper into the story, feel free to read more and listen more to his rambling.  Bastion doesn't waste your time trudging through long dramatic cut scenes.  There are occasional panning view animations accompanied by the narrator's continued monologue, but they are brief.  Most of the story is told through his narration of your actions.  You'll hear about the history of the two people groups and why every living thing seems to be trying to kill you, but it is all happening during game play.  The story is perfectly unobtrusive while still being memorable.

The combat has a little something for everyone.  If you want to keep away from the action protected by distance and your powerful ranged weapons, so be it.  If you want to be a tank with the hammer and machete, feel free.  I found myself enjoying the Pike and Mortar combination that gave me a nice balance of speed and an unstoppable ranged attack.  Be sure to adjust your passive abilities(different spirits and liquors) to fit your needs.  Heck, if the game gets too easy, you can even petition the gods to make the game far more difficult with bonus rewards to your in game currency.

I don't think the game is perfect.  The "New Game Plus" mode is simply playing through the game again.  I wish there were more enemies or upgraded enemies the second go round, but this is a good chance to finish leveling up your weapons and character.  If you're not careful, you can cruise through the game.  I was nervous to turn on too many "gods" the first time through and it ended quite quickly.  The campaign itself is quite short.

For all of its negatives, however, Bastion is sure to set itself apart.  I'd recommend it to anyone.  There is simply nothing forgettable about this experience.

Let's Take Another Look: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is often lauded as one of the greatest games of all time.  In fact, arguments can be made for it being THE greatest game of all time as long as you're in the right group of people.    Personally, I have bought 3 copies of the game all on different systems and had the pleasure of playing the newest release of the game on Nintendo's 3DS.  Say what you will about remakes, cashing in on established titles and Nintendo being stuck in the past, but the most recent remake of Ocarina of Time is by far the best version of the game.

I'll address the minor issues first: the 3D effect is excellent, but doesn't add anything to the experience.  Also, having to play through the main quest(a 5th time for me) to unlock the Master Quest(which would have been only a 2nd time) is unnecessary in my opinion, but I can understand the thought for first time players.  Those are, literally, my only issues with the game.  To be fair, I had very few issues with the original release of the game.(curse you Water Temple)

I don't feel like taking the time to write a hyper detailed review on a game I first played in 1998.  Instead, I want to look at the improvements to the award winning formula.  First the graphics: with several updated textures and new character models, the game is quite a bit easier on the eyes.  Pair that with the 3D effect and it becomes a whole new visual experience.

Now game play: while the game play didn't see the same overhaul that the graphics received, the few key components made the experience far better.  The display was overhauled and moved to the lower screen on the 3DS.  This move in addition to an extra slot to which items can be assigned and a designated ocarina button make for a beautiful decluttering of the main screen and a more flexible item inventory.  You wouldn't think that having a single additional item to assign would make that much of a difference, but any veteran to the game will be elated to know that bouncing between iron boots, bow, bombs, ocarina, and the hookshot in the Water Temple no longer causes any pause menu frustration.  The whole experience benefits from this new scheme.

Gyroscopic aiming and looking is perfectly functional and can be used in conjunction with circle pad aiming to make for very dexterous accuracy.  I wouldn't call the gyroscope a great addition, but it works and doesn't detract.  You can always turn it off if you want.

I can say without question that this is the definitive version of this classic experience.  The improved visuals, tweaking, but not overhauling, the controls, decluttering the main screen, inclusion of the Master Quest and a  boss battle mode just make the package sweeter and extend the game play.  I actually found myself quite surprised that a boss battle mode hadn't been included in a previous release, it's quite satisfying to go back and fight some of the bosses.

I'm a Litte Bit Casual and I'm a Little Bit Hardcore

The battle lines of the internet are amazing. I used to get really angry when I would read posts or comments about how the Wii is only for kids and casual gamers and how hardcore gamers have to play certain types of games. Even though the two aren't mutually exclusive, there is a line between graphics that push the boundaries between life and game and graphics that push the given hardware to it's limits while maintaining the stylized aesthetic of the game world. Even though the two aren't opposed to each other, people like to pit games with bright flashy colors against games with more neutral palettes. Games like Super Mario Galaxy 2 facing off against Resistance 3... sounds pretty silly when I put it like that, but it is silly.

I own an Xbox 360 and Wii. In less than a year I intend on owning a Wii U. I play every genre of game imaginable; From Need for Speed to Marvel vs Capcom, Terraria to NBA Jam, Super Mario Galaxy 2 to Halo, Final Fantasy to Boom Blox, I play them all. Not all regularly, but they all make their way into my lineup of games. I've mentioned my lineup before. I like to have a little something for everyone. It makes me a better gamer and makes my house more hospitable to non gamers. It allows me to trick people into doing what I want to do, whether it be watch everyone play Dance Central(though I'm pretty good myself), work as a team in a 4 player co-op like Castle Crashers or New Super Mario Bros Wii, or pwn everyone in a pick up and play competitive game like Driift Mania(yeah, with 2 i's), Geometry Wars, or Tetris Party.

By any definition I can not be denied entrance to the "hardcore" camp of gamers, but at the same time I embrace the lighter, "casual" fare that existed just fine before Wii, but now has a place to call home. Sometimes I don't want to put that perfectly thrown grenade in the throat of another player; sometimes I don't want to grind to level 50 so that I can finally unlock that awesome piece of armor; sometimes I don't want to play a nerve racking round of Pac-Man Championship Edition DX; sometimes I just want to kick back and let my friends into my World of Goo or wrap myself up in Kirby's Epic Yarn. I'm not any less of a gamer because of my varied. I'm just a little be Casual and a little bit Hardcore.

Castle Crashers: an RPG For Everyone

I've become quite well known in my groups of friends for finding games that everyone likes. I actually go out of my way to find local mulitplayer games that my gamer friends and non-gamer friends alike can enjoy. I've often resorted to the Wii for these games. Things like World of Goo, New Super Mario Bros, Tetris Party, Dr. Mario, Boom Blox, Mario Kart, Geometry Wars, and NBA Jam. I search out the games that fit that transcend that metaphysical barrier between the "casual" and "hardcore"(I try to not use those terms, but it fits). One particular XBox 360 game seems to have taken the cake.

I've had Castle Crashers for a couple of years at this point, but I stumbled upon a sub-group of my friends that likes RPG's, so this was just perfect. I decided I could easily use one of my stronger characters and act as a buffer to keep them alive as they work through the game and we could have a good amount of fun. 2 weeks later I have a total of 12 people playing Castle Crashers at various times. It seems that I've found the perfect game. My wife plays, my friends' wives play, a Final Fantasy Veteran plays, a FPS fanatic plays, a PC gamer, a nanny, a photographer, everyone it seems will play this game and love it.

Well it got old being the strongest character while all these different groups are playing through the beginning levels. Then I realized the true genius of the simplicity of the leveling mechanic of Castle Crashers: it can be played so many different ways with so many different characters who all have different magics and characteristics. While at the same time, it is a simple 4 player brawler with a great sense of humor. I just want to keep playing... I want to level up every available character just for the heck of it. I now have 3 characters who are my main investment characters and they were all leveled up differently, one with all magic, one with all speed and one perfectly balanced between all stats.

It was just quite refreshing to rediscover this little gem. Thanks Behemoth, couldn't have done it without you...